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How are Method Calls Formed? by Aaron Patterson In this presentation we're going to study how method calls are executed. We'll go from bytecode created by Ruby's Virtual Machine down to the C code where the methods actually get executed. After we've learned about how Ruby executes methods today, we'll dive in to optimizations we can make on method dispatch including various types of inline method caching. You should leave with a better understanding of Ruby's VM internals as well as ways to analyze and optimize your own code. Also the presentation will have really great transitions in Keynote.
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In the presentation "How are Method Calls Formed?" by Aaron Patterson at BathRuby 2016, the intricacies of Ruby's method calls and optimizations are explored. The session begins with a humorous recap of previous presentations and insights about cultural quirks, leading into Patterson's background working with Red Hat and the focus of his talk. The main topics covered in the presentation include: - **Understanding Method Calls:** The definition and structure of method calls in Ruby, along with their formation within the Ruby Virtual Machine (VM). - **Bytecode Execution:** An overview of the bytecode generated by Ruby's VM, which operates as a stack-based machine, pushing and popping operations from a stack to execute methods. - **Method Lookups:** Discussion on how Ruby looks up method definitions, traversing through class hierarchies, and why this is a crucial aspect of method execution. - **Performance Optimization Techniques:** Factors affecting method call performance, especially caching strategies. The talk introduces concepts such as inline method caches and how they can speed up method calls by storing the results of method lookups to avoid repeated calculations. - **Cache Misses and Their Impact:** Patterson addresses issues like cache invalidation and the implications of altering class definitions during runtime, which can lead to performance degradations due to cache misses. - **Polymorphism:** He suggests strategies utilizing polymorphism to optimize method dispatch further, illustrating ways to conduct optimizations that respect the performance needs of Ruby applications. - **Conclusion on Learning from Failure:** The presentation rounds off with the framing of learning through failures, encouraging attendees to engage with Ruby's source code on GitHub to better understand these optimizations and their applications. Overall, attendees are encouraged to measure optimizations, embrace polymorphism, and approach method performance with analytical inquiries. The presentation is characterized by a blend of humor, technical deep dives, and practical code examples, aimed at providing developers with insights into Ruby's internals and best practices for performance optimization.
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